AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She started laughing. “There is just something about homemade. Also, I’m kind of a doomsdayer at times. I worry that if I don’t learn that skill, one day soon, I’m going to need it. Besides, I enjoy it. On the last day of harvest, I gather my vegetables, and take it indoors, planning over the weekend how I’ll do it. It’s fun.” She tried not to cringe for a second time that day. Canning is fun? It’s like saying taking glass out of your foot is fun. Her hobbies were lame to the average person.
“You know what, I may have to see this in actual action.”
“You want to see me canning?”
“I’ll have to see it to believe it.”
“I could show you my pot, and my jars.” They were all in her pantry ready for the day.
They finished their lunch, and she took him inside, showing off the big canning pot, and then she moved a bit further down, for him to see some of the jars from last year’s canning event. “See, I told you. I’m kind of weird like this.”
He picked one up that read salsa. “This was made from all ingredients you’d grown?”
“Yep. Pretty awesome if I do say so myself. It’s great with tortilla chips.”
“Can I take it?” he asked.
At first she was going to say no, but then she realized she was only being silly. “Sure. I hope you enjoy it.”
****
The salsa had been amazing with tortilla chips. He’d eaten the entire jar by the time Monday arrived, and he had to ask for more. Before heading into work though, he took a little detour toward the trailer park area. Slade had been around here a few times, and it didn’t seem real to him for Cassie to have grown up here.
She was always so neat, so tidy, so clean. He’d noticed that her house didn’t even have a speck of dust. Her pantry was the cleanest he’d ever seen. She was even better than his mother at organizing stuff.
“Is someone in trouble, deputy?”
He turned to see an older woman sitting in the shade, knitting something in her lap.
“No one is in trouble. Have you lived here long?” he asked, moving toward her.
“My entire life. You can have a seat. No one is afraid of you. It’s been a long time since we saw you out here, deputy.”
He took a seat opposite her, and stared out across the entire park. “Do you remember a Cassie Love?”
“The Love family. I do remember them. Her father was such a nice guy when he first moved here. His wife … not so much. I mean, everyone thought the wife was a sweetheart, but she wasn’t. She always had men over every single day, and on occasion Bill caught her.”
“Bill?”
“Bill Love. It’s Cassie’s father. Of course, they would scream, and rave. Her mother would throw stuff around, and Cassie would sit out on the grass over there as they fought. Bill would forgive, and then it would all happen again. Then one day, a car came. Something fancy, and I watched as Cassie’s mother took a bag, kissed her daughter on the head, and left without a backward glance. It was a really fancy car as well. She had left for a better life, not even taking her daughter.”
Slade wasn’t liking this little tale.
“Not long after that, Bill started to get drunk. He wasn’t physically mean, but sometimes we’d hear him rant and rave at Cassie. Saying it was all her fault. I never saw a man go downhill so fast. Cassie had to live with a lot.” The older woman tutted. “Then one summer before senior year, we saw a nice young man coming ‘round. He was treating her all good like. We knew Cassie was falling in love, and that she had it bad for this kid.”
Slade didn’t like the jealousy that sprang upon him at the thought that Cassie could love someone else.
“What happened?”
The older woman sighed. “He broke Cassie’s heart. Told her it was all part of some bet, and not only did he get to fuck the trailer trash, he got to pop her cherry. Ray made sure that boy didn’t come around again.” She pointed to another trailer, three down from hers. “Cassie still comes around. She’s always bringing us her baked goods.”
“What happened to her dad?”
“Don’t know. He skipped town when Cassie graduated. A couple of us went to see her. Me and Ray included. We saw her graduate, and it was a proud moment.”
Slade saw how proud she was. There was no hiding that look.
“Well, I think I’ve said everything that needs to be said. I need to go and take a nap.”
